Garment drying hanger



Oct. 13, 1942. E. LAMARv 2,298,491

GARMENT DRYING HANGER Filed April 1o, 1939 INVENTOR EMILIA/#HR ATTORNEYPatented Oct. 13, 1942 UNHTED STATES @TNT OFEIC 9 Claims.

The invention relates to a hanger for use in effecting the drying andairing of clothing, particularly athletic wear. Y

An object of the invention is to provide a unitary hanger which isparticularly adapted for the support of breeches or some other garmentin an open and expanded condition thereof for the free circulation ofair through its interior to dry and air the garment.

Another object is to provide a hanger of the class described wherein thesupporting engagement of the hanger with a breeches or pants issimultaneously operative to effect the desired open condition of thegarment.

A further object is to provide a hanger which is arranged forsimultaneously supporting for drying all of the elements of athleticapparel such as a foot-ball suit.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical Vembodiment thereof, and in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figures l and 2 are plan and end views respectively of a hangerembodying the features of present invention.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the hanger operative as a support meansfor various elements of a foot-ball suit, garments thereof being shownfragmentarily and/or in partial section.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary partly sectional view taken on the broken line4--4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hanger structure.

Various garments used by players of such games as foot-ball, andparticularly those garments having padded and/ or reinforced areas, arepreferably dried while in an opened-out condition whereby drying maytake place directly from the inside as well as from the outside. Overconsiderable periods, such garments are dried just as they are taken offby the player, since washing tends to deleteriously affect any paddingor rubber or leather parts of the garment. On the other hand, a removedgarment is frequently moist on the inside from the players perspirationwhich, while damp, tends to rot the garment parts both directly andthrough the encouragement of mildewing. The most practical course forthe preservation of such a garment is to dry it as quickly as possibleand thereafter permit a continuous free air circulation along itsinterior sur faces as well as over its exterior, and the present hangerunit has been designed with this preservative drying and airing of thegarment in mind.

While the'features of present invention are of more general application,the present hanger unit 'l is disclosed and described as particularlydesigned and utilized for the drying and airing support of the pants 8and shirts 9 and the shoulder-pad assembly IE! of a foot-ball playersapparel. The hanger unit essentially comprises a support bar structureI2 for depending mounting on a suitable element such as a clothes poleor closet hook with the bar generally horizontal In the presentinstance, a wire hook I3 is pivotally secured to the top of the bar I2,said hook having a shank of such length that the top of the hanger barmay be free beneath the primary support (not shown) which is engaged bythe hook I3. The bar I 2 preferably comprises a rigid truss-like openframe, formed of rust-proof material and providing certain structuraland operative features of present value. v

Referring to the disclosed structure of the bar I2, it will be seen thatthe same includes a pair of like side members I4 symmetrically arched oroffset above straight chord members I5 of like length, and arm membersI6 extending from the members at the opposite side thereof from thegenerally dat loops of the members Ill. The tw-o similar assemblies ofmembers I-l and I5 and I are secured opposite each other with themembers I5 in mutually parallel relation by means of spreader or spacingbars Il at the junctures of the members I4 and I5, spreader bars I8joining the members I5 at about the quarter points thereof, and aspreader bar I9 connecting the members I4 at the central upper point ofthe latter. The bar I9 is intermediately looped to provide an eye 2l forreceiving the securing loop for the hook I3. The various members I4 toIS inclusive are all formed of Wire of suitable size and finish, and aremutually Welded together at their jointures.

The truss-like structure of the bar I 2 is completed by a plate 24 whichextends between central points of the members I5 and the upper spreaderbar I9, and is fixed to all three elements as a central spacing and tiemeans for the members I4 and I5. As shown, the plate 2li has an integralfoot-flange portion 25 which extends perpendicularly from it and spansthe space between the members I5 to which it is secured by welding. Thecorners of the plate 24 at its other end are welded to the bar I9, andthe plate is notched out between said corners thereof to receive theloop 2| of the bar.

Besides serving as the central member of the truss-like bar structureI2, the plate 24 may conveniently bear an identifying number for thehanger. As shown, side extensions 23 of the plate 24 are turned inwardlyopposite the plate and above the flange 25 to define the sides of apocket for receiving an identity card (not shown) for the athlete towhom the particular hanger has been assigned for use. The members I4 arepreferably further apart at their top than at the plane of the mutuallyparallel members I5 Whereby the planes of the members AIII make an acuteangle with each other, and the hanger is widest at the center of its topto have the parts of the members I4 at the different sides of the framecenter converging toward the ends of the hanger bar structure.

It will now be noted that the bar assembly I2 is arranged to support apair of breeches or knee pants 8 in inverted position and by utilizingthe xed and depending members I6 of its structure while the ends of thepants legs I I are held open by a suitable means. In the presentinstance, the xed arm members I6 are cooperative with arm members 26which depend from the members I5 laterally of and between the members I6and are movable along the bar structure toward and from the members I6.In the present instance, the members 26 comprise the sides of invertedand generally U-shaped elements 21 which are intermediately fixed tosleeves 39 slidably mounted on the frame members I5 at the portionsthereof between the bars I1 and I8, this mounting of the arms 26 beingparticularly designed to prevent any rotation of the arms. A tensionspring 28 directly connects the two elements 21 at their top forconstantly urging an engagement of the inner ends of the sleeves 30 withthe bars I8 as a stop means therefor.

The free ends 29 of the garment-engaging members I6 and 26 may be formedas loops or otherwise provided with enlarged bearing surfaces thereat,and are arranged for their simultaneous disposal and engagement withinthe extremities of the pants legs. In plan, the arrangement of the loops29 of a set defines a polygon of four sides whereby the engagement oflower portions of the members I6 and 26 and their bearing ends 29 withinthe knee end of la pants leg will fully open and expand the leg thereat.Movement of the members I6 and 26 of a set toward each other for theirinitial disposal within the pants leg must be accomplished against theaction of the spring 28 on the elements 21 which provide the members 26,whereby said spring is thereafter constantly reactive through themembers 26 to forcibly urge an opening and expansion of the pants legsportions engaged by the loops 29. Since the upper portions of the pantstends to remain open when the pants are suspended from the leg ends, thesuspended pants will provide the desired free air passage longitudinallythrough them for facilitating their interior drying and constant airing.

The constant and forcible engagement of the loops 29 inwardly of theextreme end of a pants leg is arranged to also provide the support meansfor the pants, whereby the members I6 and 26 both expand and support apants leg engaged by them. For aiding the cooperative supportingfunction of the members I6 and 26 of a set, these members and theirbearing ends 29 are turned outwardly of the longitudinal axis of theirassembly as may be required and in the manner shown, whereby to insurethe forcible engagement of only the bearing ends 29 with the goods ofthe pants leg inwardly of the leg extremity, and provide an overhang ofthe pants leg portions at the ends 29 to support the pants thereat.Since the end edge of the pants leg may carry a usual and constrictingelastic band or tape, the desired supporting overhang may be provided inpart by such a band or tape. 'Ihe relative lengths of the members I6 and26 are such as to provide for the operative engagement of the loops 29in a plane which is generally parallel to the end of the pants leg, itbeing noted, for instance, that the legs of foot-ball pants are slightlylonger at the front than at the back.

It will now be noted that the shoulder pad assembly I0 comprisesmutually connected inner plates 3I defining a neck opening between them,shoulder-tip plates 32, and intermediate plates 33 overlapping theplates 3| and 32, all unitarily connected in a usual relation. Thepresent arrangement of the support bar members I4 with a greater spacingat their top portions provides a suitably shaped seat for supporting thepad assembly on the bar for its airing and drying, it being recalledthat the plates are usually of leather. When the shoulder pad assemblyis supportedly mounted on the bar, the supporting hook I3 extendscentrally through and from the neck opening for the assembly.

The present hanger bar may also support other garments which comprisepart of an athletes apparel. Thus, a shirt of the slip-on type andmounted on a separate hanger 35 which more or less opens the mountedshirt for its drying, may have its hook 36 supportedly engaged with somepoint of the bar frame. As shown, elongated members 31 of wire arepivoted to top points of the members I4 adjacent the hook I3 for.depending disposal outwardly of and against the elements 3| of themounted shoulder pad assembly, and provide terminal eyes 38 forreceiving the hooks of the hangers 35. Particularly while they supporthangers 35 carrying shirts or other articles, the members 31 areoperative to more or less clamp the shoulder pad assembly in place ontop of the bar structure I2.

As shown, the eyes 38 of the members 31 are provided as loops whichextend outwardly of the members when the same are operatively disposed.As is shown in Figures l and 2, each member 31 may be swung about themember I4 which mounts it to overlie and engage the other member in aninoperative position therefor, and the loops of the eyes 38 are sospaced from the pivotal axes of the members that they may be snappedover the outer side of the second member and frictionally held in place.The members 31 are short enough for their swinging through the neckopening of the shoulder pad assembly I0.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and use of the presenthanger will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to whichthe invention appertains. While I have described the features and theprinciple of operation of a structure which I now consider to be apreferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understoodthat the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may bemade, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hanger for supporting a pair of pants in inverted position for itsairing and drying, comprising a rigid and elongated support frame, pairsof mutually spaced and substantially coplanar arm members dependingfixedly from spaced points of the frame in planes transverse to thelength of the frame and arranged for their insertion in the free ends ofthe different legs of the pants, movable arm members mounted on theframe between the pairs of fixed members and arranged for theirinsertion in the free ends of the diierent legs, and means urging themovable members toward each other for their cooperation with the xedmembers to forcibly expand the pants legs thereat and eifect the supportof the pants from the members.

2. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the last meanscomprises a tension spring connecting the movable members.

3. A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein the frame is of openstructure and has its exterior members formed of wire.

4. A hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position for itsairing and drying, comprising an elongated support bar, arm membersdepending fixedly from spaced points of the bar and arranged for theirinsertion in the free ends of the different garment legs and providinggarment-engaging portions, movable arm members mounted on the barbetween the fixed arm members and arranged for their insertion withinthe free ends of the different garment legs, said fixed arm membersbeing arranged in pairs and said movable arm members being arranged inpairs, a pair of fixed arm members cooperating with a pair of movablearm members for insertion in a garment leg, said pairs of fixed andmovable arm members being located in planes which lie transversely ofthe length of said support bar, and means urging the movable arm memberstoward each other for their cooperation with the xed arm members toforcibly open and expand the garment legs thereat and effect the supportof the garment from the members.

5. A hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position,comprising an elongated support bar for horizontal disposition, armmembers depending fixedly from spaced points of the bar and arranged fortheir simultaneous insertion in the free ends of the different garmenivlegs and providing garment-engaging portions, arm members depending fromthe bar opposite the first arm members respectively for insertion in thegarment legs and movable to and from the latter, and means yieldinglyurging the movable said arm members away from the fixed said arm membersto forcibly open and expand the garment legs and effect the support ofthe garment jointly from the members.

6. In a hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position forthe direct interior airing and drying of its interior, a rigid supportbar, pairs of mutually spaced members depending fixedly from the bar incommon planes with each pair of members arranged for insertion within adifferent leg of the garment, members movably mounted on the baropposite the different pairs of fixed members for movement transverselyof their planes and arranged for insertion within the garment legs withthe cor-I responding rst members, and means to urge the second membersaway from the first to forcibly expand the engaged legs while supportingthe garment.

7. A hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position for itsairing and drying, comprising a rigid and elongated support frame, pairsof mutually spaced and substantially coplanar alrm members dependingxedly from spaced points of the frame in planes transverse to the lengthof the frame and arranged for their insertion in the free ends of thedifferent legs of the garment, movable arm members mounted on the framefor movement toward or from the planes of the different pairs of fixedmembers and arranged for their insertion in the free ends of thediierent legs, and means urging the movable members away from therespective pairs of fixed members for cooperation therewith to forciblyexpand the engaged garment legs thereat and effect the support of thepants from the members.

8. In a hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position forthe direct interior airing and drying of its interior, a support bar,mutually spaced members depending fixedly from the bar with each of themembers arranged for insertion within a different leg of the garment,pairs of fixedly related and mutually spaced and coplanar membersmovably mounted on the bar opposite the different i'xed members formovement toward or from the latter members and arranged for theirinsertion within the garment legs with the corresponding first members,and means to urge the second members away from the rst to forciblyexpand the engaged legs while supporting the garment.

9. In a hanger for supporting a nether garment in inverted position forthe direct interior airing and drying of its interior, a support bar,pairs of mutually spaced and coplanar members extending from the barwith each pair of members arranged for insertion within a different legof the garment, members extending from the bar at points opposite thedifferent pairs of first members and arranged for insertion within thegarment legs with the corresponding first members, means mounting thefirst members and second members on the bar for the relative movement ofthe cooperative said members transversely of the planes of the opposedrst mem-

